London Assembly calls on Boris Johnson to introduce more 20mph speed limits

The London Assembly has called on Mayor Boris Johnson to take action on road safety by introducing more 20mph limits on the capital’s roads.

The Mayor’s recent road safety action plan recognised that 20mph speed limits can improve road safety and the liveability of town centres.

The Assembly asked him to set stricter limits on the London Road Network following calls from councils, schools, pedestrian groups and cycling organisations. The motion also called on Transport For London to publish the reason for retaining the 30mph limit where they decline a request from a local council to reduce it to 20mph.

Darren Johnson AM, who proposed the motion, said: “The Mayor can help cut the number of deaths and injuries on London roads by supporting those councils introducing borough-wide 20mph limits. Moreover, he can complement those initiatives by introducing more 20mph speed limits on TfL's own roads, where boroughs and local residents are requesting them. The evidence is clear: if a pedestrian is in a collision with a car travelling 40mph, survival is only 10 per cent. This rises to 97 per cent if the speed of the vehicle is 20mph.”